This invention relates to an offshore underwater substation designed to harvest the energy/power outputs generated by a multiplicity of different offshore energy/power producing devices and to combine the energy/power outputs and process them so as to increase the efficient transmission of the energy/power from the substation to a point or facility on shore.
Due to an increase in the demand for alternate sources of energy, there has been a steady increase in offshore power generation. The offshore sources of power generation may vary from those responsive to offshore wind and/or to forces of the ocean waves and/or to tidal forces. In the discussion to follow, reference will be made to the generation and harvesting of electric power. However, the teachings herein may be applicable to any form of energy generation.
An array (“farm”) of different energy/power generators may be disposed in an offshore location. Transmitting the output of each power generator individually is inefficient in terms of processing (and/or converting) each output and in the cost of transmitting and delivering each output. There is a need for infrastructure to collect the energy/power generated offshore by the various offshore generation sources and to transmit the energy/power to a central facility, or grid, located on shore. For example, it is desirable to collect and convert the output of many power generators of electric power and to transform (boost) voltage outputs to a high amplitude voltage for transmission in order to reduce the electrical cable cost and power losses. It is also desirable to arrange for the various energy outputs (e.g., the voltage outputs) to be processed through common processing equipment (e.g. one main cable) to an onshore grid.
Consideration was given to an ocean surface mounted substation. However, interconnecting the outputs of the various offshore power generating sources presents problems peculiar to that environment. In particular, there is a need to protect all connections and components from the marine environment and the pitching and movement associated with anything on the sea surface. Applicants' invention resides in part in the recognition that an undersea substation, as compared to a surface mounted substation, provides protection from the elements and movement at the surface and greater security. However, provision has to be made for connecting and disconnecting of various power producing devices under various conditions and for the efficient power transmission to shore. Therefore, Applicants also recognized that a substation embodying the invention has to be robust to be able to survive the harsh environmental conditions, whilst also requiring minimum attention for operation (which is preferably done remotely) or maintenance.